Impact of environmental factors on phytoplankton community structure from two different river estuaries, South Sumatra, Indonesia Rozirwan (a*), Aulia Balkis (a), Nadila Nur Khotimah (b), Riris Aryawati (a), Fauziyah (a), Wike Ayu Eka Putri (a), Redho Yoga Nugroho (b)
aDepartment of Marine Science, Faculty of Mathematics and Natural Sciences, University of Sriwijaya, Indralaya, South Sumatra, Indonesia, 30862
bEnvironmental Management Study Program, Graduate Program, University of Sriwijaya, Palembang, Indonesia, 30139
Abstract
Environmental factors can influence the community structure of phytoplankton in water. This study aimed to analyze the abundance, diversity, evenness, and dominance of phytoplankton from the Musi and Banyuasin River estuaries, which are influenced by environmental factors. The study was carried out by collecting environmental water quality data at twelve observation stations. The water samples were collected by a plankton net of 20 um. The statistical analysis used was analysis of variance (ANOVA) and principal component analysis (PCA). The phytoplankton was grouped into three classes including Bacillariophyceae, Cyanophyceae, and Dinophyceae. The Musi River estuary has phytoplankton abundance range of 23 to 39 cell/L, low diversity, high evenness, and not dominance. The Banyuasin River estuary had phytoplankton abundance range of 27 to 441 cell/L, low diversity, moderate evenness, and dominance. Based on ANOVA, the abundance and quality of environmental parameters in the two river estuaries were not significantly different. The results of the PCA analysis showed that there was a correlation between the environmental parameters and the phytoplankton abundance and diversity in the Musi estuary, which was characterized by salinity, pH, and phosphate. Meanwhile, the Banyuasin estuary was characterized by current speed and light intensity. The environmental factors at the two river estuaries showed suitable quality for the growth and development of phytoplankton.
Keywords: Banyuasin Estuary, Community Structure, Environmental Factors, Musi Estuary, Phytoplankton
